Best Taco Minneapolis 2009 - Shrimp taco at La Sirena Gorda - CLOSED

Minneapolis's Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue abound with mom-and-pop taco shops—places where vats of greasy, precooked meat await deposit in soft corn tortillas and a sprinkling of hot sauce. These restaurants have their appeal, but for those looking for a taco that doesn't leave the lips coated in fat, the shrimp version at La Sirena Gorda is the best bet in town. Succulent shrimp are sautéed in onions, corn, and cilantro and served with a side of savory rice. La Sirena Gorda specializes in seafood, and unlike the string of shops on Lake Street, it's not dirt-cheap. But it's more than affordable—a plate of tacos with rice will set you back between $7.95 and $9.50. Alfonso Menendez, owner of the now-defunct Latin restaurant Babalú, opened the shop nearly three years ago with the same classy, creative Mexican cuisine. If you're not in the mood for tacos, try the ceviche, a delicious medley of whitefish cooked in the acid of lime juice and mixed with cilantro and onion ($5.95 for a small order), and finish the meal with the pastel de limon de Acapulco ($3.50), a delicious Acapulco-style key lime pie.